Discover the highlights of Athens and the surrounding area on a private guided tour. See the Acropolis, Mars Hill, the Temple of Zeus, the Panathenaic Stadium, the National Garden, and the changing of the guard. Visit the Corinth Canal and the ancient city of Corinth.
Start your day with a visit to the Acropolis. See the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Temple of the Athena Nike, the monumental gateway (Propylaea), the Erechtheum, and the Parthenon, the main temple for the virgin goddess Athena.
On your way down the hill, climb up Mars Hill, one of the seven hills of Athens. In antiquity, it was used as the supreme court of law. It was in this place that the Apostle Paul stood to be judged by the Athenians in 51 A.D. for talking about Christianity in a society that still believed in the 12 gods of Olympus.
From Mars Hill, enjoy a great view of the ancient Greek Agora, where the Apostle Paul walked around and spoke of the new religion during his stay in Athens. Continue to the Temple of Zeus, the biggest temple in antiquity, devoted to the King of the Gods, by the way of Hadrian’s Arch.
Visit the Panathenaic Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896. Drive alongside the National Garden and see the changing of the guard (Evzones) in front of the old palace, which is today Parliament House, above the central square of Athens.
Drive to Panepistimiou Street to see numerous neoclassical buildings still standing and dating back to the late 19th century. See the Architectural trilogy of Athens (The Academy – The University -The National Library).
Move into the historical center of the city and drive up the highest hill of Athens, Lycabettus Hill, where you’ll have the best panoramic view of the city, from the hill of Acropolis to the Aegean Sea.
Next, stop at a traditional Greek tavern with authentic cooked dishes or fresh fish – seafood by the sea. After lunch, drive along the coast, passing by some seaside villages and the island of Salamis, where the historical naval battle between the Athenians and Persians took place.
Stop at the Corinth Canal, opened in 1892, which separated the Peloponnese Peninsula from the rest of Greece, connecting the Saronic Gulf to the Corinthian Sea. Walk across on a pedestrian bridge to admire the canal closer, or even bungee jump.
Continue to the ancient city of Corinth, dominated by the hill of Acrocorinth and the ‘old castle’, the oldest and largest castle in southern Greece. The site located at the foot of the hill includes the Roman Agora of Corinth, the temple of the ancient god Apollo, and a small museum.
Before returning to Athens, drive to the east port of ancient Corinth, Kechries, making a small stop at the Cathedral of ancient Corinth. Kechries was the location that Paul stayed in before departing for Ephesos, leaving behind his new followers and a Christian church. See part of the old port that is still visible, under water.
